Huntsville gazette., 1887-07-16
1--WE must obey," said Miss Lucy.

out CuCy WcIc uOL IuFltcu III. 4uC1l
captor had other plans.
Keeping his eye upon them all the
time, the wild man hunted for couple
of heavy and clumsy hoes. When he
found them he motioned to the prison
ers.
"Workr' he growled, "old Pedro
peon himself once. Now poems work
for him. Work or me shootr'
"I'll die first!' shouted Vincent.
"Oh, for my saker' screamed Miss
Lucy. Don't let that horrid monster
kill you. What would become OF
me?"
Enraged as Vincent was, he was
sensible enough to see that it was his
duty not to lose sight of his fair COM
panion.
'.Now my poems, go to work" " COM
manded the tyrant.
To gain time the prisoners picked up
the hoes and pretended to examine
them.
Pedro stood off, and leaning ON his
musket watched his victims with vic
ious twinkle in his cruel eyes.
'My poems, he mumbled. "Pedro's s
poems. Yah! Yah!'
"Oh, Mr.. Pedro" burst out Miss
Lucy, Historically, sit is time for us to
return to Prospect Cottage. Do, please.
let us gor'
"Work! work! or me shootr' was
Pedro's savage response. Undoubtedly
this wild man of the mountains was a
maniac. 1t would be dangerous to cross
him.
What poor Vincent would have done
can not be guessed, but just at that
moment bird sailed over the valley.
"Shoot him. said Vincent, pointing
upward.
ugh! Can't. Nobody hit bird SO
high"
II can," boasted the young man.
A look of childish pleasure and curl
osity flashed over the wild mans face.
"If you kill him give him to me" he
begged, in tone of almost piteous
earnestness.
"I'Il kill him and you may have
him." said Vincent.
Pedro at once handed over his gun
with nervous eagerness.
"And now." yelled Vincent, Jump
ing in front of Miss Lucy with the
musket leveled at his enemy, sshow
US out of here or I'll blow your head
off,
The maniac, finding himself thus
baff1ed and tricked, retreated few
steps. Then, in a fit of fury, be rushed
forward, but the threatening musket
caused him to fall back.
''Pedro fool!' he groaned, shifting
his breast. "Come onr'
The hearts of the two leaped with
JOY as they saw the wild man start in
the direction of the path leading to the
upper plains and hills, and they fol-
lowed without saying word.
Several times Pedro looked back, but
each time he found Vincent ready to
use the musket at a seconds notice.l
II see Pegalos Peak" cried Miss
Lucy.
"Yes. and Prospect Cottage is over
there" said Vincent 1--WE do not need
our guide any longer. Pedro. you may
60 Make tracks, old fellow
The Mexican looked thoroughly ter
rified.
..Poor Pedro!" he howled. "you
won't rob poor Pedro. Give him back
his gum"
But Vincent was firm in his refusal
and the crushed giant in the bear-skin
tunic dejectedly took his departure.
The pleasure seekers at Prospect Cot
tage were tremendously excited when
the amateur artists made their appear
ance late in the day minus their sketch
books, and looking decidedly the worse
for their trip.
In the midst of the clatter of ques-
tions and explanations the landlord
spoke up.
II never thought" he said, ''that
any of my guests would run against
Pedro or find his hiding place. He has
been known as the wild man of the
mountains for the past ten years, but il
is new thing for his insanity to take
the shape Of violence. Tomorrow III
get party to catch him and send him
to the asylum. He will not bother you
again.
All this was very reassuring, but the
tourists made up their minds to leave
the next day.
.It is outrageous, said Miss Lucy
to Vincent; ''you know that last sum.
mer when you joined our party in the
Adirondacks we roamed about good
deal, but you were the widest man ]
met"
Vincent showed symptoms of return
ing wildness at this, but he signified
his readiness to 60 with the others,
Even at this early stage of their ac.
quaintance Pedro's poems appeared te
be of one mind about everything. Fol
an engaged couple they were very rea.
DIT ~, AZ ,xroc fboiY. lost cy1n,.